Prince Harry became emotional as he expressed his distress over the impact the Daily Mail had on his wife Meghan’s well-being during his court appearance at the High Court in London on Wednesday. The Duke of Sussex, along with six other plaintiffs, including singer Elton John, are pursuing legal action against Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Mail, for privacy infringements spanning several years. Associated Newspapers has dismissed the accusations as baseless, stating that their journalists sourced information from credible individuals, including the claimants’ acquaintances.
This court appearance marked Prince Harry as the first royal in 130 years to testify in court as part of his ongoing battle with the media. While facing questioning from Antony White, the lawyer representing Associated Newspapers, Prince Harry vehemently defended himself against claims of close ties between the journalists and his social circle. He reiterated that he had no personal relationships with the journalists and denied any leaks from his social circles.
The crux of Prince Harry’s lawsuit revolves around 14 articles that his legal team contends were produced through illicit means such as phone hacking and deception to obtain private information. In response, Associated Newspapers’ lawyer argued that the information in the articles was lawfully acquired. Prince Harry challenged this assertion, questioning why a former royal editor associated with the publication resorted to using private investigators linked to unethical information gathering practices.
Prince Harry acknowledged engaging with reporters out of necessity but expressed his frustration at feeling exploited for commercial gain through the publication of his private affairs. Despite attempts to maintain a civil relationship with the media, he emphasized feeling compelled to collaborate with individuals who had previously portrayed him in a negative light.